Back(pack) to school

Whenever we are in a mile radius of Berwick Street, Susie cannot resist visiting her favourite treasure trove of handpicked women's (and men's) vintage, secondhand designer and high street clothing which is Bang Bang. As Susie rummages through the racks, I leave her to it and venture downstairs into the menswear department but as she constantly finds bargains, I have always left empty handed. The stock is frequently updated so it is all down to luck and timing but of course an eye for a bargain helps and I've never quite been able to find something which ticks all my boxes. Raf Simon coats and Savile Row suits are most common...it is all down to finding your size though which I struggle on.

When I ventured into the store this weekend I was greeted with a few sample pieces by the Australian designer, Material Boy. Mic Eaton, an ex-pro surfer, launched the label in 2003 in Perth but now divides his time between Melbourne and Indonesia. Topman Lens recently featured their designs and it is clear that this is a label which pushes menswear out of its comfort zone and it is hard not to admire the label’s originality. Ordinarily, I appreciate the designs but they aren't really to my taste...but that soon changed when I stumbled across a sample, black leather Rucksack...my Bang Bang cheery just had to be popped.

My childhood revisited - Vintage grey wool jacket, polka dot shirt by bstore, polka dot hankerchief, wrap trousers by Unconditional, white chukkas by Vans.

I've not used a backpack/rucksack in about ten years, during my last years of school and University I plumped for satchels and messenger bags instead. However, in recent months I have been on the look out for a desirable rucksack just because they are so darn useful! After seeing some of the pieces from the Raf Simons x Eastpak collaboration, I have been severely tempted on a number of occasions but I could never fully justify paying that sort of money for something which is fundamentally an Eastpak backpack...something we all had growing up. I needed something special and up stepped the offering from Material Boy.

(Feel free to click on the images to take a closer a look)

As I put the leather straps over my shoulders, a strange feeling came over me...I felt like a young boy again...was shopping or school my destination?...even Susie noticed a change. It was most strange and it soon passed as I became acquainted with my new favourite bag.